Chivalry is Not Dead
by Shiba Ayame
Summary: Thanks to help from two love-guru friends and a guide to chivalrous dating, George finally works up the courage to ask Maria Louise a question or two. G/ML, sappy fluff, may cause cavities. Finale to my G/ML poem series. Oneshot.


Another G/ML fic. Something tells me that people just don't write many G Gundam fics anymore, and I'm gonna end up jepoardizing the fic list... Oh well, if I keep uploading, we'll reach the mark where the site has to add pairing filters!

So, yeah. I promised I'd add to my poetry series, but I kinda knew it would all culminate in a fic. This one's gonna be a load of fun to write... I'm really looking forward to it!

Dedicated to Slaya on deviantArt, whom I wish would post the G Gundam art she's submitted to the Shuffle Alliance shrine to dA... maybe this will get her to! This fic has an image based on a pic she did of George and Maria Louise dancing together.

Warnings: No lemon, no lime, just straightforward, kinda humorous fluff - what I usually write. Don't wanna get any flames about the G/ML pairing now, if you want you can google "shuffle alliance" and go to the shrine (should be the second or third result). Under the "Rants" page on the lefthand navigation is an argument of whether or not G/ML is considered statutory rape. (And don't flame them either, the site's kinda inactive so you won't get a response.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Mobile Fighter G Gundam. I could pitch a fit and roll around on the floor, kicking and screaming, but that won't get you anything but arrested in a courtroom while you're battling for rights...

Chivalry is Not Dead

Oneshot

lolololololol

It had been about a month since he'd fully sat down and talked to himself about falling in love with Marie Louise. Simple as that, done and over with.

The hard part was going to be getting himself to admit it to her face.

George de Sand, albeit gorgeous and kind and pretty and knight-like, hadn't the slightest clue on how to spill his guts - er, confess - to the opposite sex. Yes, confess was a better word. It had a more cordial ring to it, more refined. But anyway, he had no clue.

So who do you turn to when you have women troubles? Chibodee Crockett, resident ladies' man of the Shuffle Alliance, of course.

"Chibodee, mon ami, I'm having trouble with something," George started over the video phone. Right away, the American had nailed the issue on the head, leaving George kind of baffled. "How did you know?"

"Well it's kinda written all over your face, Frenchie. Everyone was kinda wondering how long it'd take ya to warm up to the Princess." Chibodee smirked. "So, you don't know how to break it to her? Well, that's easy. Pull her aside and just kiss her senseless."

But George, knowing full well that Chibodee could be rather insensitive, called the second love guru he knew, the newly-wed Rain Mikamura-Kasshu. He figured that a woman's perspective on such a matter would be more beneficial.

"Well, first things first you tell her how you feel, no beating around the bush," Rain lectured, "And please try not to mention Gundams, it's not exactly the most romantic thing in the world when you're talking about a weapon. Unless you're wooing a mechanic..." The Japanese woman trailed off for a moment, then shook her head. "...Anyway, try to be kind and sweet. And I shouldn't have to remind a knight, but chivalry is NOT dead, so be a perfect gentleman!"

"Thank you, mademoiselle-"

"Oh, and one more thing. Disregard anything Chibodee says about this." And she gave a wink and a wish of luck, shutting off the vid-phone. How Rain knew that he'd called Chibodee minutes before George had no clue... women's intuition, maybe?

Taking a page from the notes Rain had given him, he looked up an old code of chivalry. First things first:

1. Ask the fair maiden's father for her hand in courtship.

Easy enough, George concluded. He was a knight, not to mention the nation's gundam fighter - how hard would it be to get an audience with the king?

Apparently, rather hard. It was days, he was told, until George could be fit into his tight schedule. Never before had he realized the life of a king to be hectic in times of peace. But when he finally got his time - fifteen short minutes, on a Friday morning - the king was rather tired, and likely to only half pay attention to George's plea.

"What is it?" the French king drawled, slumping over in his throne with relative fatigue.

George coughed politely into his hand. "My liege," he adressed the crowned man before him, "I have come to ask your permission in courting your daughter, the Crown Princess Maria Louise."

The king sat up abruptly, his interest piqued. "My daughter, you say?" George nodded feebly, fearing rejection. "Jacques," the king called a guard over, "Alert the other guards and the service staff. George de Sand is finally asking for my daughter's hand. Make sure nobody has changed their bets within the past day."

George was dumbfounded. The whole French castle had organized a betting pool for when George asked for Maria Louise's courtship? Was he the only one who didn't realize that everyone knew he loved her? He closed his eyes, willing himself not to faint. Gundam Fighters didn't faint!

"You have my permission and my blessing, Sir George de Sand," the King said, "I trust my daughter doesn't know yet?"

"No, sir. I was planning to ask her courtship tonight, at the Bastille Gala."

"Ah, I see. Well, you'd best get yourself freshened up, then!" The King waved his hand in dismissal. George bowed, turning and making his leave.

God willing, everything would go smoothly tonight.

oOoOoOo

2. When wooing a maiden, be sure you are in her favor. After you have that assurance, is is acceptable (and preferred) to express your affection through flowers, poetry, music and dance.

The weather was nice, the sunset casting a red-orange glow over the French palace. Royals, nobles and the other members of the high-class of French society gathered for the celebration of Bastille Day. George was in his standard finerly, saber at his hip, epaulets shined, uniform pressed and shoes polished. It didn't take him long to find Princess Maria Louise, surrounded by hawking young bachelors who only had one thing on their minds.

With a bow to the Princess and a courtsey in return, George turned and gave a nod to the conductor of the chamber orchestra; said maestro smiled and raised his wand, striking the musicians up in a lively waltz. He held Maria Louise at a respectable distance, whirling her on the dance floor surrounding the other couples. From above, George mused, the ladies' flouncy dresses must've looked like twirling, blossoming flowers; then, he decided, none of them rivaled the beauty of the fresh pink rose he had the honor of dancing with. He looked down at her, smiling, pleased that when she looked up her eyes were shining as well and a giggle escaped her lips. She was having the time of her life, here at a stuffy Bastille Day gala.

3. If the maiden you pursue comes across as nonchalant and standoffish, she is not interested. If she smiles and giggles curtly, you're on the right path. But if she looks at you with her heart on her sleeve and all of her smiles are just for you, her heart is yours.

The song finished with a flourish. George must''ve spinned her three times the whole way around in one spot, and for a moment he worried she'd made a conical rut in the polished marble floor, like a top spinning on soft clay. But she just smiled, those beautiful jade eyes sparkling as he leaned into her, whispering "Come with me." in her ear. She nodded; the redheaded knight took her hand and led her to a balcony that alotted them a perfect view of the sunset and, lo and behold, Gundam Rose as well.

"There is a lady I know who sparkles in the fading light, welcoming the hero home after he has won his fight," George started, reciting a poem he'd written. Maria Louise looked at him with an incredulous face, but he'd seen it out of the corner of his eye. His goal was to make it sound like he wrote a ballad for his fighting machine, like he'd praised its majesty what felt like such a short time ago. "She smiles with her hair so gold, helping him to flee his plight; shining eyes like emerald, he longs for her to stay this night." He paused, turning to her to prove his point. "I started writing this poem about a week or two ago, but I can't seem to finish it. I was wondering if you would help me with an ending."

Maria Louise pouted. "George de Sand, I hope you know that I've been trying to do this for years, but you've got to stop worshipping your Gundam!" Her white-gloved hands had found their way to her hips, standing on tiptoe to try and gain more height (and likewise more authority) to seem imposing. But George made no argument, only smirking at her reaction.

"Whoever said I was talking about Gundam Rose?" He hedged closer to the pithy princess, taking one of her hands in his and kissing the back of it gingerly. "I was referring to the only princess I know."

He should've known that alone would knock her speechless; he continued on, amused by the suprise broadcasted in her eyes. "I've been a blind fool, not realizing this long the feelings you've had for me. But something as simple as kissing me on the cheek completely unabashed on the ride home from the last fight Rose has seen, something so small and seemingly insignificant proved to be the key. I've looked back on my life, re-evaluating it, taking stock of my thoughts; in the past few weeks, I've come to realize that I'm falling for the princess I've sworn to protect."

Her suprise faded to that loving shine I'd seen on her for years now and hadn't known the meaning behind. "I mean you no insult, but I have taken the liberty of asking your father permission to court you-" She cut him off, flinging her arms around George's neck. "I take it you approve?"

Maria Louise smiled. "George de Sand, do you really have to ask?" He smiled, holding out his hand in invitation; she took it, allowing him to lead them in a tempo purely their own, not remotely matching the one being played just inside. She rested her head gently on his chest, the French fighter still being at least a head taller than she, realizing that he was leading them to the cadence of their heartbeats, perfectly in sync without a thought.

Tossing a brief glance up at the stars, George thanked whatever powers that be for showing him what he'd been blind to for so long. For a moment, he toyed with the thought that Maria Louise's sheer brilliance was on par with any star he could ever see; he dismissed the notion, concluding that the stars had nothing on his princess.

oOoOoOo

Returning to his own home after (regtretfully) giving Maria Louise back to hers, George told his loyal butler and friend Raymond that he wished to be alone for just a little while before his bath tonight; Raymond gave a knowing smile, having already set out a piece of stationary and a pen for George to write out the poem he'd been testing earlier that week.

Not bothering to remove his clothes just yet, George sat at his desk, lifting his pen from its place and took dictation straight from his mind. Words flowed onto the page in a clean, elegant script.

There is a lady I know

Who sparkles in the fading light,

Welcoming the hero home

After he has won his fight.

She smiles with her hair so gold,

Helping him to flee his plight;

Shining eyes like emerald,

He longs for her to stay this night.

Chaste smile and playful glance,

His embrace giving her no fright,

Twirling her into a dance,

Causing her heart to take flight.

Realising she's in his trance,

She follows him into the night,

Surrendering to his romance

Her fit inside his arms so right.

There is a princess that I know

Who glitters in the evening light,

Welcoming her lover home,

No longer does he have to fight.

Her white gown and her hair so gold,

Welcoming their brand-new plight;

Adoring eyes still emerald,

She gives her heart to him this night.

George sat back in his chair, a tired smile on his face. He'd finally been able to polish off the poem he'd been entertaining for an exhausting week, and now all he wanted was to bathe and sleep. His sleepy mind took a while to register that he was once again flipping through the Chivalrous Rules of Courtship, as he'd internally dubbed them. His mind caught the fourth step, and he read it twice just to make sure he'd remembered.

4. When you are in the maiden's favor, seek her out for tea as often as she pleases. But approach the topic and ask her yourself, as it is impolite for a lady to ask a knight to tea.

George smiled. With luck, he'd be having afternoon tea with Maria Louise for every day left in his natural life.

lolololololol

So the end has finally come. I wanted to finish this one so that I could post it soon - I just got through the first two weeks of sophomore year, and already I've had to read two books, half of one and three chapters of a fourth - all the while finishing the final book of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series in my own time.

I've been watching the sub episodes of G Gundam on YouTube, and I've got a couple of comments. Never, and I mean never, while Toonami was running the dub and I was in fifth grade did it ever cross my mind that Domon was anything but the reighteous hero. But now that I'm going back through the series, I'm discovering that he's a flat-out sexist jerk. Makes me think that I'm glad I never really liked him in the first place... And the best part is, it only improves my love of George as a character. I love playing him up as the oblivious, clueless girl magnet.

Just a side note: The poem George writes was written by me. Not that you couldn't already tell, what with the crappy rhyme scheme and all... I'm more used to writing freestyle... Also, the Chivalry Code stuff was figments of my imagination.

Review? Review.


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